135x Filetype PDF File size 1.47 MB Source: www.singaporecancersociety.org.sg
Eating Well During Cancer Strength to Fight Get Back to Life This is a public education initiative by: Content Page Introduction 1 Cancer treatment: 2 What you should know and what you can do Eating problems: 8 Helpful tips to manage treatment side effects Diet after cancer treatment 14 Healthy recipes 16 Keeping track of your diet: 26 Using a Food Diary Summary Nutrition in cancer care 28 Introduction Chances are, if you are reading this booklet, either you or someone you know is about to get, or is now getting cancer treatment. Eating Well During Cancer is specially written to help you, your family or friend to cope with eating problems which may occur because of the cancer itself and the treatment that has been prescribed. Good nutrition during cancer treatment can help patients to: Feel better Keep up their strength and energy Maintain weight and the body’s store of nutrients Better tolerate treatment‐related side effects Lower the risk of infection Heal and recover faster Nutrient needs of people with cancer vary among individuals. You are encouraged to talk to your doctor, dietitian or nurse to understand your specific nutritional requirements and plan ways to meet them. If you have questions regarding any points in this guide, you can also ask your healthcare professional to help provide a more detailed explanation. 1 Cancer treatment What you should know and what you can do When you are healthy, eating enough food to get the nutrients and calories you need is not usually a problem. But when you are being treated for cancer, this is hard to achieve, especially if you have side effects or just don’t feel well. So, you might need to change your diet to help build up your strength and withstand the effects of your cancer and its treatment. Conventional treatment for cancer includes surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy or a combination of treatments. 1. Surgery Surgery is done to remove cancer cells and nearby tissue. Whether surgery is recommended or not depends on the type of cancer, its location, and if it has spread to other parts of the body. Surgery is often used with radiation and/or chemotherapy. After surgery, the body needs extra calories and protein for wound healing and recovery. 2. Radiation therapy In radiation therapy, radiation is directed at the tumour to kill the cancer cells. While all cells are affected by radiation, most normal cells can usually recover over time. The type of side effects radiation causes depends on the area of the body being treated, the size of the area being treated, the type and total dose of radiation, and the number of treatments. 3. Chemotherapy Chemotherapy is the use of strong drugs to kill cancer cells. The drugs are most often taken by mouth or injected into the bloodstream. Chemotherapy drugs can damage both healthy and cancer cells. Cells most likely to be injured are bone marrow, hair and the lining of the digestive tract, including the mouth, esophagus, stomach, and intestines. 2
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